Afterlife
by Cero Oscuras
Summary: Following the events of After the War, Ichigo finds himself in Soul Society on a more...permanent basis. Read and Review! IchiRuki with lots of other pairings. T for language.
1. Chapter 1

**Woot! Chapter one of my new story! I'm just gonna dive right in after a couple things.**

**Thanks for the overwhelmingly great response to **_**After the War. **_**You guys keep me writing with your reviews, so please keep it up. You guys are the best.**

**I've gotten some reviews mentioning spelling errors. If you see glaring errors, please PM me about them so I can fix them. I write about ½ of each chapter on my phone with no spell checker and finish in Google Docs which still has limited editing capabilities. Since this is a recreational thing for me, and I like to release chapters quickly, I'm not going over my thumb-typing with a fine-toothed comb. So instead of saying: "Great story lol but spelling errors ****ಠ****_****ಠ****"****, specify please!**

**This is a sequel to my other story, **_**After the War**_**. If you haven't already, go read and review that one first.**

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><p>The next thing Ichigo knew, he was standing in Rukongai, the quiet of the evening twilight broken only by the noise of insects and the noise of bartenders unlocking their doors. He looked down and realized the he was clad in his shinigami robes, and was glad that his memories and powers had been preserved.<p>

'_Didn't trust me, Ichigo?"_

"You know I did, old man. I'm just glad it worked."

"_**Don't forget about me, King. Even though you were too stupid to keep track of your human body, I can still take over this one!"**_

"_That's doubtful, hollow, considering the grasp that Ichigo has on his own powers at this point. As a matter of fact, I believe you've failed several times now. Perhaps it's time to give up and cooperate."_

"_**FUCK YOU OLD GUY!"**_

Ichigo left his inner beings to their argument, breathing in the night air. He felt a presence beside him, and looked down to see Rukia beaming up at him.

"Feeling alright?" She asked him happily.

"Yeah…it's weird though," he answered, "being….ya know, dead."

"Ah, you'll get used to it. Come on, strawberry, let's get you to the Seireitei." She said happily, grabbing him by the hand and leading him through the streets of her youth.

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><p>The two of them arrived at Kuchiki manor, Ichigo dragging his feet the whole way to the door. They were greeted by a young servant girl, who bowed to Rukia before noticing Ichigo. She prostrated herself in front of the orange-haired teenager.<p>

"K-Kurosaki-sama! Thank you for saving our world!" The servant girl cried, shivering with awe at the powerful being in front of her.

"Mina, there is no need to subject yourself to someone who is not of noble blood. Please stand up." Byakuya stepped into view, frowning ever-so-slightly at the pair in front of him. For once, Ichigo was relieved for the serious man's presence, as Mina's display had made him extremely uncomfortable. Byakuya coughed, staring hard at the still-connected hands of the two teens. They separated quickly, both blushing profusely, neither having realized that they were still attached. _Strike one…_, Ichigo thought, but knew he could make up the lost ground quickly. Rukia had prepared him for this visit…not that he was going to like what she had threatened him into saying.

"Good evening, Kuchiki-taicho."

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><p>Isshin clinked his beer against Kisuke's taking the first swig from his bitter drink. The two of them sat on the roof of the Kurosaki clinic in cheap lawn chairs, eyes turned towards the night sky where Isshin's son had disappeared a short time before.<p>

"So how did Yuzu and Karin take it?"

"Well, you know, Yuzu was sad of course. Karin seemed fairly indifferent but I think she was a bit taken aback by the whole situation. I explained to them that he would have had to leave soon anyway…"

"It's not as though a human body could hold such power for too long. Going less than a month without leaving his body too often…it was only a matter of time." The cat sitting on Urahara's lap chimed in, purring as the shopkeeper scratched behind its ear. Urahara smirked, knowing that Yoruichi enjoyed being tickled there even more when in her 'natural' form.

"I'm sure he's rather happy to be with Miss Kuchiki, at any rate." the blond-haired man said behind a smile. "You may get your wish of grandchildren sooner than you think, Isshin."

The town doctor smiled. "Yeah, I can only hope."

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><p>Byakuya was rather surprised by the boy's politeness, almost allowing a small smile to sneak past his noble façade."I see my sister has taught you some manners. I suppose that's a good thing, <em>Kurosaki-san<em>. What brings the two of you here?"

Rukia took over, knowing she was already testing the limits of Ichigo's manners by making him address her brother respectfully. "We were wondering if Ichigo could stay here while he adjusts to Soul Society, at least until he can join a division. Since his family showed me such hospitality, it would only be right for ours to reciprocate." Talking to Byakuya was somewhat like playing chess sometimes, and she knew that she had just put him in check.

Byakuya kept a straight face, though he frowned on the inside. Rukia was playing him like a fiddle. She knew that by appealing to his noble graces, he couldn't refuse returning a favor. Nobility in Soul Society didn't work that way. He thought for a second before waving them inside.

"Of course the Kuchiki will return the generosity of the Kurosaki family," He had to force the words out, "Rukia will show you to your room."

_Checkmate!_ The small girl thought with a smile.

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><p>As the pair walked up the stairs, Byakuya found himself full of conflicting emotions. He had already had his suspicions about Rukia and the human…<em>well, not human anymore<em>, he thought, but tonight confirmed those suspicions. Whether the two acknowledged it or not, there were romantic feelings between them. For noble families, this meant one thing –

If they wanted to go public with their relationship, it would be an absolute scandal.

He wasn't necessarily even against the idea of the Kurosaki boy as a suitor; Ichigo had become quite the celebrity after the war, and would almost certainly be offered the open position as the captain of the fifth division (the third had been taken over by Kira and the ninth by Hisagi, both having taken lieutenants whose names escaped Byakuya). More important to Byakuya was the fact that Ichigo would certainly die several times over before allowing harm to come to the Kuchiki princess. But Rukia was of age to be married, and other families had already declared their interest. For her to suddenly have a boyfriend would not go over well for the Kuchiki house. He sighed again, hanging his haori and scarf on the wall, lit two candles using kido, then knelt in front of the picture they flanked.

_Hisana, what would you have me do?_

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><p>Ichigo followed Rukia down the long hallway, stopping between opposite doorways. Mina followed close behind, being Rukia's personal handmaiden. Rukia disliked having another person to attend to her, but Byakuya had insisted that she keep with noble traditions. The Kuchiki were fair to their servants, and Mina had her own spacious quarters and had never been mistreated, but Rukia still felt as though she was being undeservingly doted on more often than not.<p>

"Mina, you may take your leave." Rukia inwardly groaned, knowing that she had to dismiss the younger girl in this manner (if she didn't, Mina would stand there patiently and wait for more orders.)

Ichigo watched Mina go. The girl was slightly taller than Rukia, with straight honey-brown hair that hung to her waist. The girl was certainly cute, but more in the way that his sister Yuzu was cute, not in such a way that would foster attraction from a boy his age. She wore a simple pale blue yukata with no pattern that was belted instead of tied with an obi, which was the norm for all of the female Kuchiki servants. The orange-haired boy turned and raised an eyebrow at his tiny friend.

"Servants, huh? Seems like someone's been living the easy life since I've been gone."

She punched him lightly in the arm. "It's not by my choice, baka."

"Sure, sure. You probably don't even dress yourself in the morning when you stay here."

"Pervert! Don't picture me getting dressed! And I'll have you know that the Kuchiki family is at the height of fashion in Soul Society, as a matter of fact we are trends…"

Ichigo watched her with a blank look as she ranted about…something. He hadn't been picturing her getting dressed until she mentioned it, and now the thought wouldn't leave his mind. Plus, she looked so cute when she was yelling at him…did that make him a masochist? Frankly, Ichigo didn't care what it made him. He didn't notice the drop of drool slip past his lips. But Rukia did.

"I'm going to bed!" She huffed, making sure to give Ichigo a healthy kick in the brain he was currently thinking with before walking into her room and sliding the door shut.

Ichigo writhed in pain on the ground. _Fuckin' hormones._

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><p>Byakuya stood from his place on the floor. He would be talking to Ichigo first thing in the morning. Before that, however, he had somewhere to be. He pulled his accoutrements from their place on the wall and put them on, fastening his scarf around his neck.<p>

This was not an errand he was looking forward to.

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><p>Rukia tossed in her bed again, raven hair falling in front of her face. It had been at least an hour since she had gone to bed, and although she was tired she could not fall asleep. She wondered if Ichigo was having this much trouble in a strange bed. She suddenly wished she could talk to him.<p>

Of course, if she could, she wouldn't be having trouble sleeping in the first place.

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><p>Byakuya rather liked visiting the living world. It gave him a break from the stuffy life of a noble, and when he went by himself it was rather cathartic to sit and watch unnoticed. as life went on for the humans. That wasn't what brought him here on this night, however, and for this particular visit he had acquisitioned a gigai. He had removed his ivory hairpieces, letting his hair fall to his shoulders, and wore a light grey suit jacket over a t-shirt that apparently advertised some human musical group called "The Who" that was patterned with red, white, and blue concentric circles. He also wore dark navy pants known as "blue jeans" and a black leather belt with a steel buckle, as well as black leather shoes. He found the attire foreign, but according to Yoruichi it suited him quite well. Urahara had been infuriated and clearly jealous of this observation, and Byakuya had slipped out during the argument that ensued, confident that he would at least fit in in this clothing. He arrived at his destination and raised a hand to knock lightly on the door.<p>

A young girl with light brown hair in short pigtails answered the door, smiling up at him and curtsying slightly. "Hello, how may I help you?" she asked the head of the Kuchiki house. Byakuya instantly wondered how this polite little girl could possibly be related to the object of his sister's affection.

"Ah…Yuzu Kurosaki, I presume? I am here to speak with your father. My name is Byakuya Kuchiki."

Yuzu appeared to be mulling the information over in her mind for a moment before smiling brightly and holding a finger in the air, as if to indicate that she had some brilliant idea. "Ahh! You must be Rukia-nee's brother! Come on in, Bya-nii! I'll go grab Daddy!" She turned and ran to find her father, leaving the door ajar.

_Rukia-nee? BYA-nii! What is that crazy old man teaching this family?_

"Well, well I didn't expect you so soon. The clothing of our world suits you well, Byakuya." Isshin said to the younger man, motioning for Yuzu to make her way upstairs, which she did obediently.

The Kuchiki noble kept his mouth set in a thin line, not able to pull rank on the elder Kurosaki. "I was expected?"

"Puh-lease, Byakuya – the way those two have been acting, I knew you'd realize something was up and come to me for answers."

Despite being irked at Isshin's dismissive manner, Byakuya got straight to the point. "What exactly _has_ been going on between your son and my _imouto_?"

"Don't get your noble pants in a bunch, they haven't even kissed yet. They do sleep in the same bed, but it's not sexual. I doubt they even consider themselves a couple or have confessed their feelings, but everyone else can tell. It's quite endearing, actually."

Byakuya had tuned out about halfway through Isshin's explanation. "You let them sleep…in the same bed!" How could the man speak of intimacy with such callousness?

"Ah, I already told you, it's not what you think. Plus," he gave the younger man a sad smile, "we both know what it is like to lose those who we love. You can hardly blame them."

Byakuya looked at his feet, knowing that Isshin was right. After a moment, he once again made eye contact with Isshin. "You do know what this means, with Rukia being part of a noble house?"

Isshin grinned broadly, all sadness and sentimentality gone from his face. "Oh, absolutely I do."

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><p>Rukia sighed and rose from her bed, walking across the hall quietly with her pillow dragging on the floor behind her. She slowly pushed open Ichigo's door, careful not to wake him as she stepped over to his bed, laying down beside him. She thought she had woken him when he turned, but after he draped an arm over her he resumed snoring softly.<p>

Rukia was asleep in less than a minute.

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><p>The next morning, Mina rushed down the hallway, having been sent on an errand by the head of the Kuchiki house himself. "Kurosaki-sama!" she shouted, entering the already-open door. What she saw was a very tired-looking orange-haired shinigami rubbing his eyes, seemingly unaware of a short noblewoman curled up beside him. Mina averted her eyes, looking at her feet in embarrassment as Ichigo rose to meet her at the door. As they walked down the hall, he addressed her blush.<p>

"Ah, Mina-san, that uh…that wasn't what it looked like," They young girl looked up at him with an incredulous look, "Rukia, she doesn't sleep well by herself."

Mina smiled. "I know this, Kurosaki-sama, and I know that Rukia-sama would not have relations with a man out of wedlock. I just…wasn't expecting what I saw." She told him as the rounded the corner into the foyer where Byakuya awaited them.

"Good, good. Ah, and Mina-san?"

"Yes?"

"Please, just call me Ichigo."

The girl looked floored, having just been told by the great war hero that she could address him on a first-name basis. "O-o-o-okay, Kuro- I mean…Ichigo! You can call me Mina!" She ran off, partially to avoid the coming wrath of Byakuya Kuchiki.

"That's better." He smirked, glad to be rid of the stuffy title.

"Good morning, Kurosaki Ichigo. I trust you slept well?"

"I did, nice place you have here By – er, Kuchiki-taicho."

"I wish to speak with you, but I am on my way to my division's headquarters. Please, accompany me."

"Sure."

The two walked out of the manor, and Ichigo had an odd feeling like he should have Zangetsu ready. "Kurosaki, what are your intentions concerning my _imouto_?"

Ichigo knew exactly what the noble was asking, but feigned ignorance while trying to come up with an answer. "Um, what do you mean by _that_?"

"Allow me to ask another question first…Do you have feelings for Rukia?" The older man stopped, looking hard at Kurosaki.

There was no getting out of this one.

"I…well…you see…"

Byakuya coughed.

"Yes. Yes I do."

"And what exactly are these _feelings_?"

"What do you-"

"Ichigo, are you in love with Rukia?"

**Welp, that's the chapter. And now some unfortunate news.**

**My computer was destroyed today. I had a replacement/repair plan, but it'll take several weeks to be fixed. I still plan on updating while the lappy's being repaired, but I won't be able to update with the same frequency, as it'll be when I can borrow my Dad's laptop. (I can write on my phone but not update from it.) If I get a lot of reviews, I'll be more motivated to write on my phone (it's a bit of a pain) so show me some love. And I know you guys want to see the next chapter. I have prepared a figure explaining how reviews correspond to my update schedule. **

**REVIEWS=UPDATES**

**Plus, you get a response in the next chapter! Who doesn't love that?**

**And with that, I'll see you guys later. Hit the button below, show me some love.**

**-Cero**


	2. Chapter 2

**Gahh. I wish I had my lappy back. I've been looking at new ones online and I think I've decided on an HP that I really like. It's the dv6-6190us, if you care. I'll be getting it in a couple weeks.**

**I hate typing on this thing. My dad's laptop has the most annoying keyboard. But so many of you reviewed that I thought I'd give you a new chapter!**

**I'm going to start putting review responses at the end. It keeps me sane not having to scroll through them while editing my opening AN. Plus I can respond in light of the new chapter.**

**According to traffic stats, about 7% of readers are reviewing. I don't know if that's good or bad, but over 10 reviews in a day seems pretty decent to me. Keep it up! If you review every chapter, you get a gold star!**

**Is anyone else bummed that there's no JUMP this week?**

**Some of you have asked how Ichigo's hollow came back. When Ichigo used the FGT, the different parts of his soul fused, being two parts of the same being, Ichigo's power. After he passed out, he reverted to his former state. As such, his hollow and Zangetsu are currently separated for the purposes of this story. We don't know if this is true in the canon yet, and frankly I don't really care because I quite like Ichigo's hollow and he will be developed somewhat as a character as this story unfolds.**

**I think I'm gonna get a lot of hate from this chapter, but I think it's a fairly realistic scenario, though it wouldn't necessarily fit into Bleach canon. Before you call Byakuya uncharacteristically nice, remember that despite many forum posters and fanfiction authors painting him as a heartless bastard, he's a pretty compassionate guy under his shell. **

**Speaking of Bleach canon, I just read Decide again along with Farewell Swords and chapter 424, I don't see how anyone could miss the IchiRuki there. She looks so sad when they say goodbye :(.**

**I'm gonna dive on in here now, and resolve that cliffhanger that so many of you complained about! Enjoy!**

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><p>Ichigo stared at Byakuya, dumbfounded.<p>

"Well? Answer me, Kurosaki."

"I…I…uhhh…I don't know?" He raised his voice, irritated. "That's a pretty personal question, Byakuya!"

"Your father told me of your…sleeping arrangements. I would hate to think that you were taking advantage of her, enjoying her company in some perverte-"

"You bastard! When did you speak with Dad! I would never do that!"

"Oh? Then what are your intentions concerning my sister, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo's head was swimming as Byakuya talked circles around him. He had a near irresistible urge to attack the man, remembering the last time the two had shared such an intense conversation, and one concerning Rukia no less.

**"Come on, King! Let me at him! I want a fuckin' rematch!"**

"My intentions," he said, a hand on Zangetsu as he lowered his tone, "are to protect the woman I love!"

If Byakuya was a weaker man, he would be hightailing it away from Ichigo, as many citizens of Seireitei who happened to be walking by at the time had already tried to do. Ichigo was releasing reiatsu like water through a sieve, and the power had already forced several nearby low-level shinigami nearby to their knees. Even Byakuya himself was surprised at the sheer power radiating from the boy, though it wasn't unlike the younger man to be this rash and aggressive. The head of the Kuchiki house raised his hand. "Calm yourself, Kurosaki. I am not your enemy." He gave him a dismissive wave "I merely asked a question, and your answer has been satisfactory. Your…openness about your affections for each other, however, is not. Had someone else seen the display that I did last night, had they known that she once more slept in your quarters, the Kuchiki would be faced with a massive scandal. Rukia is, of course, of age to be wed. For her to be seen with a man that was not a suitor would bring great shame to my family. As a matter of fact, a suitor was to be chosen for her when she returned from her mission in Karakura."

Ichigo scowled. "I doubt that she'd be interested in any noble 'suitors'".

"Which is exactly why I'm offering you the position."

"N-nani?"

"I believe our courtship rituals are similar to your "dating", if your father has informed me properly. You have proven yourself time and again to be both a powerful ally to the Gotei 13, and you have also gone to great lengths to ensure Rukia's well-being, even endangering your own life. If you wish to "date" my imouto, all you must do is ask. If you do not, I'm afraid my grandfather has a member of another noble family selected."

"Um..." Ichigo thought for a moment, and while he felt like things were moving way too quickly for his liking, he knew that this was the only way to keep some noble snob's paws off of Rukia. "I accept."

Byakuya would have chuckled were laughter in his arsenal of expressions. "I believe you misunderstand me, Kurosaki. You need to ask me."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Byakuya, can I date Rukia?"

"Not like that. Bow, Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo bowed fairly low, huffing the whole way down.

"On your hands and knees, you are addressing the twenty-eighth head of the house of Kuchiki."

Ichigo did as he was told, swearing to every god he could think of that he would get Byakuya back for this.

"Now say: "Kuchiki-sama, I humbly request the underserved honor of pursuing your sister, Kuchiki Rukia, for the purpose of courtship."

"I'm not saying that!"

"Well, then I have good news for the Shihoin clan."

"!"

"That will do, I suppose. I will grant your request. Tonight, we will meet and discuss the parameters of your relationship. Please do not mention this conversation to my sister before then."

Ichigo jumped up from his place on the ground. "Discuss! Isn't she just, like, my girlfriend now or something?"

Byakuya felt the corner of his mouth quirk upwards. "You obviously have much to learn about our customs. I will send a hell butterfly for you this evening. Farewell, Kurosaki." Byakuya was gone before Ichigo could blink, giving the former daiko a chance to process what had just happened. He walked off blindly into Seireitei, still completely dazed by the preceding events.

Byakuya found himself quite close to smiling as he sped towards his division headquarters. _That was…fun?_

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><p>Later that day, Ichigo found himself back in front of the Kuchiki manor, glad to have gotten un-lost (with the help of a small black butterfly) after wandering through the Seireitei. He approached the door, which was flung open in front of him by an extremely angry petite shinigami.<p>

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU!"

Ichigo paled at the sight of Rukia, half because of her anger and half because of his earlier conversation with Byakuya. He briefly noticed that she looked great in the lavender yukata she wore before he saw Byakuya standing behind her. The head of the house placed a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Please, calm down, sister. I believe your friend was lost in the Seireitei. Come, it is time for dinner."

Rukia shot a death glare at Ichigo before following her brother into the manor, a frightened Ichigo not far behind.

This was about to be hell.

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><p>Isshin, Urahara, and Yoruichi sat on the ground, peeking in through one of the many dining hall windows at the manor. One of Urahara's kido spells hid them from view, and Isshin had even brought popcorn.<p>

"This is gonna be great! I can't wait to see the look on my idiot son and third daughter's faces!"

Kisuke and his "cat" both nodded, which bothered Isshin just a little. Watching a cat nod was…disturbing.

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><p>Rukia sat down at the table across from Ichigo, staring him down with her piercing violet gaze.<p>

"Kurosaki-san," she began, making him wince, "it is generally considered rude when one leaves their host's home before saying goodbye, or even giving an indication of where one is headed." There was a lethal trace of sarcasm in her tone.

Oh, she was _pissed_.

Ichigo struggled to explain. "I'm sorry! I was…indisposed?"

"What does that even mean, baka!"

"It means I was busy, midget."

"YOU SHUT THE F-"

Byakuya coughed loudly and raised a hand. "Enough." He said, then looked at Ichigo. "Are you sure about this?"

Ichigo looked between Rukia and her brother several times before nodding with obvious hesitation.

Byakuya looked at his sister. "Rukia, I have received several offers from suitors from other noble houses. As you know, marriage of young noble women is dictated by the clan head." She nodded slowly, and Ichigo paled as he put the pieces together. Byakuya continued speaking. "This morning, Kurosaki Ichigo asked for your hand in marriage.

"I DID WHAT!"

Byakuya turned to Ichigo. "I believe you asked to court my sister. Is this not the same as your dating?"

"Well, you get married after dating someone a long time! And you date a bunch of people!"

"How barbaric," was all Byakuya said before turning back to Rukia. "As he is the hero of the Winter War and a powerful member of Soul Society, I accepted. I did this with your best interest at heart, I assure you, as I believed you would prefer him to a member of the Omaeda family.

_Hang on, _Ichigo thought, _earlier he said Shihoin…_

* * *

><p>"You still haven't even addressed the fact that you deceived me!" Ichigo protested.<p>

Isshin chuckled. "This is getting pretty good! Look at my third daughter's face! She's so cute and red!"

Yoruichi grinned, disturbing Isshin once more. "Ah, your son seems quite furious. Are you sure he doesn't prefer someone else?"

"Not a chance." Both men said in unison.

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><p>Rukia's mind was in a haze as Ichigo further argued with Byakuya. <em>Married? I'm not ready for that! <em>She looked at her brother who seemed to be fielding Ichigo's protests rather well. Was he really prepared to marry her off into some other family? Wasn't he happy with her just being Kuchiki Rukia? She got up and slipped out of the room, almost running over a food-laden Mina.

"Oh, excuse me Rukia….sama?"

The petite shinigami was already gone.

* * *

><p>"…and that is why I can't get married!" Ichigo finished, slamming his hands down on the table. He then noticed that Rukia had left. "Look what you did! You scared the shit out of her Byakuya!"<p>

Byakuya closed his eyes as his brow knit together. "You will address me as Kuchiki-taicho!"

Ichigo never heard him as he bolted after Rukia.

* * *

><p>The girl sat on the egde of Sokyoku Hill, dangling her feet over the precipice as the evening sun set in the sky, coloring the clouds shades of orange and purple. She remembered the last time she had been in this place.<p>

"_Yo."_

Rukia sighed, looking up at the remains of what should have been the instrument of her execution. She couldn't deny that she loved the boy, and she didn't doubt his feelings either. He had all but professed his love for her on the day that they visited Masaki's grave, the day that Ichigo became a permanent shinigami. But this was too soon. _Marriage?_ She had never even given courtship a second thought, and she was fairly sure that she was unworthy of a noble arrangement, given her origins. She wasn't sure how she felt about Byakuya planning to marry her off either; She felt honored that he considered her a true noble, but also felt betrayed at the prospect of being sent to another family.

"_Rukia-nee, help us make dinner for Daddy and Ichi-nii! Oh, too much salt, Karin-chan!"_

"_This is why you do the cooking, Zu."_

"_My three lovely daughters are making lunch for their sexy doctor father and his lazy idiot son!"_

"_Don't call yourself sexy in front of them, pervert!"_

Rukia felt a smile forming on her face, thinking that maybe she wouldn't mind joining that family, in fact, _Kurosaki Rukia _had a nice ring to it. She shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking like this, it was ridiculous! She was pulled out of her thoughts by approaching footsteps, and turned to see who she already knew was behind her.

"Yo."

* * *

><p>"Aww, they ran off!"<p>

"If we hurry we can catch them. Race you!"

"Don't transform in front of Isshin-san!"

* * *

><p>"How did you know I was here?" Rukia asked Ichigo, a much more relaxed look on her face than before.<p>

"Ah you know, sensed reiatsu, yada yada."

Rukia smiled, violet eyes twinkling in the evening twilight as the waxing sun played off her porcelain skin. "But you suck at sensing reiatsu!"

Ichigo smirked as he stepped towards her, standing a few feet from the cliff's edge. "I could always feel you."

* * *

><p>"Yoruichi! Cover yourself in my haori, you're indecent!"<p>

"Shhh! They'll hear us!"

"Just put it on!"

* * *

><p>"You know this is crazy, right? We're so young…" Rukia asked with a distraught look. Ichigo offered her a hand, pulling her up in front of him.<p>

"Yeah, and I may not have known what I was agreeing to. But I'll be damned if I let some stuck-up noble prick have _my _Rukia." Ichigo responded, surprised at his own boldness.

"My, my – possessive, are we?" she smirked.

"Damned straight." He paused, choosing his words. "You don't get to leave again. Seventeen months, that was way too long."

"Yeah…it was. I'm sorry I got mad this earlier it's just…"

"Just?"

She looked up at him, eyes slightly moist. "That's the longest we've been apart since…since you lost your powers."

"Ah." Ichigo just squeezed her hand, not wanting to express with words the longing that the two of them had felt during their time apart.

* * *

><p>"Yare, yare; they're standing rather close." Kisuke whispered, still upholding the invisibility spell.<p>

"Come on, stupid son, you can do it! Make Daddy a grandbaby right here!"

"SHHHH!"

* * *

><p>"Did you hear something?" Ichigo asked, turning a bit to his right.<p>

"No."

"Ah." He gave her a rare smile. "Remember the last time we were here together?"

She smiled back at him, the last rays of sun playing off her features much like the flames of the phoenix. "It seems so long ago now…I said I'd never say it but…" She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek, arms wrapped around his neck. "Thank you for saving me, Ichigo. Thank you for saving the world."

"You know I couldn't have done it without you." He asked, placing his own arms around her back, their faces nearly touching.

"Just thought you deserved a hero's thanks, hero." She replied, blushing pink. "The hero always gets a kiss in your living-world films."

"Really? Because as I recall, it goes something like this." He told her, pulling her just close enough to capture her lips with his own. Rukia didn't react at first, but soon melted into the kiss, grabbing lightly on to his shihakusho as the two let all of the emotions of being apart for so long flow between them as their reiatsu washed over each other. She pulled back after nearly a minute, face flushed and eyes shining.

"I still think this whole…courtship thing is crazy. Don't you think we're too young?"

Ichigo smiled. "All of your opinions have been rejected" he said before kissing her again.

* * *

><p>"MY SON IS A MAN! WHAT A MOMENTUS OCCASION! LET'S GO GET DRUNK AND CELEBRATE!"<p>

* * *

><p>Ichigo and Rukia quickly broke apart, Ichigo looking quickly around until Urahara's kido suddenly dissolved.<p>

"WHAT THE FUCK!"

**Ha. That was fun to write. The story is going to be slower paced moving on, so don't expect a wedding next chapter or anything.**

** So I planned on review responses but I really would like to get this chapter out today, it's 4:15 AM, I still have to separate paragraphs in ff's editor, and I can't write again till after work tomorrow which will be late. Because of this, I'm going to do them at the beginning of next chapter. So if you review this one and last one you get two responses next time, as well as a dollar sign next to your name for being an awesome pimp.**

**There's only so much I can offer, but I think that's a sweet deal. Oh also if you don't review, I'll send Gin to watch you while you sleep. Like literally just sit on the end of your bed and watch you. Smiling that big creepy smiling and saying "Bye-Bye." And he'll do it forever. And ever. And Aizen will be there telling you how you're a failure while looking like a big-ass butterfly.**

**Aw, shit. I won't be able to sleep now.**

**Until next time.**

**-Cero**


	3. Chapter 3

**So I'm a little pissed. In the previous chapter, when Ichigo says "!", he is supposed to be repeating what Byakuya said in one string. FF keeps pulling this out when I try to fix it. Screw the stupid formatting bullcrap.**

**New laptop gets here tomorrow! Bought the HP dv6-6190us, aka the one of the best 15.6" laptops available right now. It's got an i7, 7200RPM 750GB HDD, 2GB ATi 6770, 8GB RAM, 1080p screen, and Blu-Ray. Got it for $850USD, plus a free xbox 360, not telling how ;D. I just bought my wife an HP g4t so that's what I'm writing on today.**

**Anyway, I was super happy that you all reviewed, so I'm just gonna dive into responses. Just so y'all know: If you gave me constructive criticism, I take it to heart, and I really love when you pick my brain with reviews. Also, be aware that I soft-edit these chapters – all I do is remove glaring errors, I don't put the effort into editing that I would put into a college assignment or a published article. I simply do not have the time. Please PM or email me if you would like to beta for me, but be aware that I'll want to use email and not FF's system.**

**CHAP 1 REVIEW RESPONSES**

**Rukia's Reflection: Thanks! I was worried about people's reception of this fic and I'm glad so many like it!**

**HitsuxHina54KidxLiz: Other couples are coming, one besides IchiRuki is pretty obvious already I think.**

**Timeofknight: I updated before my lappy got fixed! I like their friendship too, and in other fics down the line I may focus more on that. The purpose of this fic is to give everyone a nice big IchiRuki fluff fix, but I'm slowing down the pacing starting with this chapter.**

**Azraelean: He ended up fine, luckily!**

**daiyana: I agree, I initially struggled with killing off Ichigo but I've always wanted to haha. I really appreciate you putting the effort in to read and review a story not in your own language!**

**Couple of Luck: Actually, in Bleach canon, I agree with you. I think feelings are there but neither of them realize it. But a guy can dream, right?**

**Thmarth: By now, you know why Isshin was smiling ;). I'm so glad you enjoy my writing!**

**Chappy1000: Does he try to have you executed because of personal guilt too?**

**Mdizzle181: Thanks!**

**Dbz wrting for fun: Glad to see you think so, and I took care of the comp, because I can't live without it!**

**DarkJason: Yeah, every August something terrible happens to me. Glad you like my stories!**

**Hitsugayatoshirou1220: Thanks, and I did!**

**Laughingspider: Good to hear, and you're welcome!**

**LeftHRyder: I love putting Ichi on the spot! And dressing Byakuya was oddly enjoyable, I think he would look badass in real world clothes, and no he had no idea what he was advertising :P. You'll see Soul Society's reaction soon enough, and things are definitely going to different.**

**French Kiss on a Subway Train: As I was drafting chapter 1, I felt that the style had improved and decided to cut After the War to a prequel. Ichigo is rather soft but on the other hand his world has just been rocked pretty hard, with getting his powers back and seeing Rukia again. He'll be pretty badass in this story though so don't worry. My biggest worry is actually writing an OOC Rukia, as her character changes so much depending on who she's with. (There's Rukia Kuchiki, Ichigo's Rukia, Schoolgirl Rukia, Battle Rukia, I feel like they could release a figuring line.) Thanks for the review and the encouragement.**

**Kreion: Thanks, I love writing Byakuya.**

**Deyoki: Your wish is my command!**

**Killercloud: Gotta watch out for those cliffs! Glad you liked it! I explained why Ichigo's hollow is so active last chapter.**

**Yami-no-Tamashii: By now you know what Isshin had up his sleeve! Yeah, the cliffie was cliché. I actually wanted to combine chaps 1 and 2, but 2 took a lot of writing and revising before I got it right.**

**CHAP 2 REVIEW RESPONSES (Damn, this is a lot of reviews!)**

**If you have a dollar sign next to your name, it means you are a review pimp for reviewing every chapter (so far) of this story. That is your pimp money. Congratulations.**

**Zangetsu50: It seems so!**

**Rexiebones: I expected a lot of hate for that decision, glad you liked it!**

**NORA: Thank you, and here's your update!**

**[$] dbz wrting for fun: I think he's a nice guy inside too! And yes, the reviews have made me update!**

**OPrincess ShinigamiO: Reactions are coming soon!**

**LazyToLogin: Yeah, Byakuya making Ichigo bow had me laughing when I thought of it. Lots of other pairings are coming. Stay tuned :D**

**Moonlightrurouni: Glad you liked it. Eww Ichihime! Haha just kidding. And yeah, Bya-kun's a teddy bear.**

**[$] hitsugayatoshirou1220: Yeah, Isshin's about to get his ass handed to him!**

**Jabamaca: Your review made me laugh. I read it at work. Awkward.**

**[$] DarkJason: Glad you like my interpretation of his character!**

**[$] HitsuxHina54KidxLiz: I laughed so much writing this story, glad you laughed reading it!**

**[$] LeftHRyder: Reactions will be soon, but it has to be made official first! Isshin and Byakuya are a blast to write, they really are.**

**[$] Yami-no-Tamashii: Yeah what the hell Japan, having holidays? I can't wait till next week! A lot of people had potential spit-takes when Byakuya revealed that little fact, good times. Isshin are Urahara are gonna get rocked. And I'm surprised no one else picked up on the family name discrepancy and its potential importance…**

**[$] Rukia's Reflection: Not gonna lie, I have had Aizen nightmares…although they were really never scary, just really arrogant. Glad you like Byakuya!**

**: I was pretty proud of that ending, I love that quote and I love Isshin and Urahara's plans going wrong!**

**Yoshizo Kurochi: Gotta love goat-chin!**

**Wolflovers6: When I came up with that I creeped myself out. I loved writing that scene, I've had that planned since the beginning of After the War.**

**Random: Thanks!**

**[$] chappy1000: JUMP makes me mad with their non-western holidays. Yeah, I mean the guy took in a girl from Rukongai and married her so he's gotta be pretty swell. When I first saw the ByaHis scene in the anime (I watched the anime before getting to that point in the manga, but now I mostly only read the manga), I knew I loved Byakuya.**

**AllieOutOfWonderland: I really tried to keep from writing drawn out chapters where nothing really happens. I wrote the first couple chapters with very quick pacing because the focus of this story is Ichigo and Rukia being almost forced into a relationship, almost a play on how they randomly end up making out randomly because she calls him an idiot. As for the pacing, I really did want to have **_**something**_** between chapters one and two but I was drawing a blank, and I do think I screwed myself a bit with ending chapter one the way I did. I am gonna slow it down from here. Ichigo and Rukia aren't in character completely but I knew that would be the case, over the next little while you'll see their portrayal start to normalize as things return to a more "normal" state. I agree that it borderlines on obnoxious, but it's really supposed to be fun and not entirely serious. Somebody who I think gets it really right is KuroKuchiki with **_**Between Me and Thee**_**, which is incredible. I didn't have the dedication or the time to write something like that, so I went more lighthearted and fun with it. Please keep reviewing, I love long reviews :D.**

**Eradona: Sorry! (but not really!)**

**Wow, that's a lot of responses. If I can take an hour to respond, you can take a minute to review! Thanks guys!**

"Getsuga Tensho!" Yelled Ichigo, sending a blue wave of energy streaked towards his scrambling father and his perverted friends. "I'll kill you for real this time, Dad!"

"Ohhhh, Masaki, our son is so rebellious!"

As Urahara and Yoruichi tried to sneak away, they were stopped by Rukia skidding to a halt in front of them.

"Mae, Sode no Shirayuki!" the petite shinigami called out, and Urahara watched in horror as a glowing white circle formed around himself and his friend, the latter barely covered by a green haori. "Some no mai, Tsukishiro!" Rukia shouted as the glowing pillar narrowly missed the fleeing pair, who crashed right into Isshin, landing in a heap. Rukia smirked, planting her blade in the ground. "Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!"

* * *

><p>Ichigo had his arm draped over Rukia's shoulders, her head leaning against his chest, as the two of them watched the sun finally set, giving way to the moonlight that now bathed the Seireitei. Behind them, lit by a pale evening glow, were three very distressed looking exiled shinigami, encased in still-life by a crag of pure ice.<p>

* * *

><p>Rukia hopped off of Ichigo's back as the pair returned to the Kuchiki manor. They entered the dining hall, seeing Byakuya with stacks of files and Mina scrambling around cleaning up unused dishes,<p>

"Ah, so the two of you have returned," the captain of the sixth division said as he gestured towards two folders sitting on the table. "Rukia, I have narrowed down your selection to two candidates, as Kurosaki is clearly out of the question judging by your reaction to his proposition."

"Actually, Nii-sama…" the girl gripped her "suitor's" arm possessively. "We've decided to go ahead with the courtship."

Byakuya's lips quirked a bit. "I see. Mina, please dispose of these files."

"Hai, Kuchiki-sama" the nervous young girl grabbed the stack of papers and walked out of the room.

"It's settled, then. The two of you will begin your courtship immediately. As such, some ground rules need to be decided on. Please, sit." The new couple did as they were told, choosing seats next to one a another. "First, there will be no more sharing of your beds." Both youth tried to hide disappointed faces, which Byakuya noticed instantly. "Kurosaki is to take up residence in the fifth division barracks tonight, and a special-case captaincy exam will be held tomorrow." Ichigo looked surprised, not thinking that he would be a captain so soon. Rukia beamed, knowing that he would finally get the respect he deserved, but knew better than to congratulate him while her brother was talking. "Second, the two of you will have outings to get to know each other better. You will be taking Mina along to prevent any…unsavory behavior. Third…" Ichigo groaned inwardly. _This is gonna take a while._

* * *

><p>Mina hummed to herself as she set the files down in front of the large ornate fireplace. She had always loved fire, it had saved her life many times when she nearly froze to death in the Rukongai. One of those times there had been no fire, and that was when Byakuya Kuchiki had saved her life, bringing in Retsu Unohana to heal her frostbite and housing her in the Kuchiki manor as a servant. All of the servants that Byakuya had "hired" were found in a similar manner, which was why so many were loyal to him. Because of his noble position, and the air of pride that he had to project, this was a secret held only by Byakuya, Unohana, and the servants themselves. Mina smiled as she threw the first file into the crackling flames, then noticed something odd. She opened the next file, and noticed it was blank. Opening the rest, she found that all seventeen folders were full of nothing but blank paper.<p>

There had been no other suitors.

Mina smiled even wider. She wouldn't tell a soul.

_Kuchiki-sama…really is a good person._

* * *

><p>"…and lastly, your wedding will be held in Soul Society, on the first of September. You may invite any guests from the living world as long as they are already spiritually aware. The engagement will be formally announced after Kurosaki passes his examination tomorrow."<p>

"The first of September!" Ichigo cried, "That's less than two months from now."

Byakuya nodded seriously. "I understand that it's a long time, but you will need to be well-established as a captain before marrying into the Kuchiki clan."

"A LONG TIME! FIVE WEEKS IS NO TIME AT ALL! IN THE LIVING WORLD PEOPLE DATE FOR YEARS!" Ichigo shouted as he stood quickly from his chair.

Byakuya frowned. "That must be torture on the young people, being physically withheld from one another for so long."

Ichigo blushed. "Well, usually…uh, you see…usually they do _**that **__before_ they get married."

Byakuya's frown grew deeper, his eyebrows coming together in anger. "Kurosaki, are you telling me that you wish to engage in _premarital_ _relations_ with my _imoto-san_?"

Ichigo gave him a contrite look, waving his hands in front of his face. "NO! That's not what I meant at all!"

"I see. Then five weeks is satisfactory?"

Ichigo sighed, shrugging. "I suppose."

Rukia spoke up next. "Nii-sama, I would like Ishida-kun to make the clothing for our ceremony. He is more skilled with a needle than any of the seamstresses in Soul Society."

"That would be acceptable, provided I can see an example of his work beforehand."

Ichigo snickered at Uryuu being compared to "seamstresses", which earned him a bonk on the head from Rukia. He held his head as he kept laughing.

"Uryuu making the clothes? Just how long you been planning this out, shorty?"

"If you must know, the thought may have crossed my mind a time or two." Rukia replied, blushing light pink. "Come on, I'll take you to the fifth division. It's getting late." She turned to her brother. "Thank you, Nii-sama."

"You are welcome. Tomorrow after the exam and the announcement, the two of you may see each other, provided that Mina comes along."

"Later, Bya- umm, Kuchiki-taicho."

"_Goodnight_, Kurosaki-san."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Ichigo was awakened by a familiar, tattooed face.<p>

"Ohayooooo!" Renji yelled sarcastically "Wake up, Captain Strawberry, you have an exam to take!"

"Renji!" Ichigo yelled happily, the two embracing in an awesome bro-hug **(AN: I'm tired, haha)**. "How are you- hey, shouldn't my lieutenant be waking me up?"

Renji frowned. "Hinamori was…not in a good state after Aizen's imprisonment. She's better now, but making her serve under the guy who put that fucker down probably isn't the best idea. They've been keeping the spot open for you, you know. She's serving as Izuru Kira's lieutenant."

"The sad looking guy with the crooked sword?"

"Yep, that's him. So if you pass you have no lieutenant, and really no division, as all the shinigami formerly under Aizen were transferred. Word is that if you pass, you're not getting a division right away; they're just gonna use you as a free agent on missions until the next group of academy students graduates. I guess they knew you were too dumb to teach anyone anything!" Renji snickered, earning himself a tackle from his friend. The two wrestled for a minute before pulling apart, both now laughing.

"You better get to the training grounds, they're gonna start without you." Renji said, and Ichigo flew out the window with a loud "Race you!"

"Hey! That's not fair! Get back here you son of a bitch!"

* * *

><p>Ichigo arrived at the first division training grounds just as the Soutaicho was about to announce the day's event. He was seated on a platform at the far end of the rectangular field, with a large crowd on either side and the barracks at the opposite end.<p>

"…and so, we have decided to test Ichigo Kurosaki, hero of the Winter War, for eligibility as captain of the fifth division!"

The gathered shinigami cheered and whooped as Ichigo walked into the practice arena and acknowledged Yamamoto with a slight bow, as Byakuya had instructed him. He looked to his left and saw Rukia standing with Renji in the gathered crowd, the two of them clapping absentmindedly as they talked, Renji looking somewhat bothered. He also saw a few other familiar faces: Toshiro and Rangiku, Hanatoro, and most of the eleventh division.

"And testing young Kurosaki today will be the captain of the sixth division, Byakuya Kuchiki!"

The color drained from Ichigo's face as Byakuya entered from the other side, his mouth set in a grim line. He had _not_ warned Ichigo about this, and all thoughts of what Rukia and Renji might be discussing flew out the window.

Captain Kyoraku approached the pair, lazily holding an arm above his head. "Alright, gentlemen, all limits are removed for this, so feel free to release your bankai." He smiled slightly, "Just don't spill too much blood, ladies are watching…Now, begin!" He dropped his arm and shunpoed away as the two opponents addressed each other.

"Oi, Byakuya, didn't expect to be fighting you today."

"Didn't you listen at all? The captain's exam is not a battle, it is a demonstration of your abilities. I will not be fighting you with killing intent. Injury, on the other hand, is perfectly within our limits." the noble told him, disappearing from the audience's view as he used his favorite technique, Senka, which Ichigo blocked easily.

"That bullshit barely worked on me once, _Kuchiki-taicho,_ don't expect to be able to use –swing- it –slice- again! Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo yelled as he shot several blue waves from his blade, pushing Byakuya backwards and causing the crowd, many of whom had never seen Ichigo's power, gasp in awe.

"Since you can't control your barbaric reiatsu enough to seal your blade, I'll be releasing mine. Chire, Senbonzakura." Byakuya sent the blossom-like blades flying towards Ichigo in several large swaths, forcing the former daiko to block and giving him several superficial cuts. The crowd cheered, always happy to see some blood spilt. Ichigo jumped backwards, sending several more Getsugas towards Byakuya, who fired several Hado number fours at the younger shinigami. Ichigo deftly dodged, cutting Byakuya shallowly across the shoulder, receiving several loud oohs and ahs from the crowd.

"Clearly fighting at shikai is pointless."

"My thoughts exactly, Byakuya. Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu!"

"Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

Several weaker shinigami were floored by the sudden release of power, the very atmosphere changing as two of the most powerful shinigami in Soul Society released their blades. Prismatic shimmer swirled around Byakuya like liquid metal, and Ichigo emerged from a cloud of dust wearing a slim-fitting black and red jacket and hakama and holding Tensa Zangetsu in the slim daito form. For good measure he pulled down his hollow mask, eliciting gasps and a few screams from the crowd.

"Let's finish this!" He yelled, firing several black Getsugas in Byakuya's direction, all while expertly dodging the deadly blossoms. He let his hollow mask dissolve and dropped himself in front of the captain, Tensa Zangetsu at the Kuchiki's neck. It was oddly familiar, in a way, though the terms were somewhat more peaceful. The millions of tiny blades holding in midair, ready to crash down on Ichigo were a bit of a change as well. Ichigo looked up, and realized that their fight would have been a draw.

"Enough!" Yamamoto announced, slamming his cane into the ground. "It is clear that Kurosaki has the abilities required of a captain. Seal your swords and come to me!" The two did as they were told (well, Zangetsu was in shikai of course). "Ichigo Kurosaki, welcome to the Gotei Thirteen. You are now to choose your lieutenant."

"Huh?"

"The fifth division is without a lieutenant. Who would you have to fill that office?"

Ichigo looked at Byakuya briefly, receiving a short nod of approval. The boy smiled brightly.

"I choose Rukia Kuchiki."

Said girl approached the platform, accepting Ichigo's hand to pull her up. Yamamoto's lieutenant handed her the armband, and Ichigo his haori, which looked very nearly like Byakuya's. The two donned their new ranks together, the act met by rousing applause.

**Okay, that's all I'm doing for now. I don't like the second half of this chapter but it is what it is. I had to write something and that's what I came up with. Next chapter will be way better.**

**I'm really starting to like my OC Mina, (and I HATE OC's) and I'm thinking of developing her more as a character and even have a pairing in mind for her (No, not _Kuchiki-sama_). What do you guys think?**

**I'm challenging myself this week: I want to update at least every other day, which is going to look like a lot of these shorter chapters until I have off work the first half of next week.**

**I know the fight scene was boring. I felt like I was rewriting chapter 154 (Don't correct me on this, I'm sure I got the number wrong) or whatever it is where we see Ichigo trounce Byakuya. In my mind the captain's exam was more of a ceremonial thing than a real exam, since Ichigo's already proven himself like a bajillion times. So that's why it was so low-energy. Think of it more like a martial arts exhibition than a Tony Jaa movie.**

**This was really more set-up for the next chapter, which will have the engagement announcement, reactions, and the new fifth division's first mission. I'm really excited for it and if the reviews keep rolling in it will come really soon!**

**I need sleep. And I still have to insert line breaks. And it's 4:20 AM.**

**Review please. Or I'll replace your cat with Komamura. And he'll use your cat's litterbox. It will be horrid.**

**Gahh I need to go to bed.**

**Until next time,**

**-Cero**


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